Massage apparatus



Dec. 7 1926.

MAS SAGE APPARATUS Filed August lY 199 Patented Bec. 7, 1926.

PATENTl OFFICE.

CHARLES W. CHENEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Application filed August 1, 1925. Serial No. 47,405.

This invention pertains to the art of there apeutic massage and more particularly to apparatus for the reduction of excessive weight by mechanically breaking down fatty tissue.

As usually performed the massage operation, Whether accomplished directly by the hand of the operator, or indirectly by the use Vof manually or power actuated vibrators,

is very fatiguing and cannot effectively be performed by the patient himself. The patient is thus dependent upon the employment o-f a skilled operator and the annoyance incident to keeping definite appointments for treatment as well as the high price usually charged for such treatments often deters patients from taking such a course of treatment or induces them to discontinue such a course too soon. i

In accordance with my present invention I have devised amassage apparatus which, while useful as an adjunct to the equipment "of the professional masseur, is particularly useful in the self-treatment of the patient since it enables the patient with but slight effort on his own part to obtain results in flesh reduction which so far as is known to me are attainable otherwise only by subjection of the patient to a long and expensive 80 course of treatment at the hands of a skilled operator. Y

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated by way of example a preferred embodiment of vthe present invention and in the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a massage apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left hand side of said apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section to larger scale illustrating a preferred form of applicator constituting an element of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a suitable platform or base upon which the operator may stand during the treatment. Substantially vertical posts 2 are disposed at the corners of this base, which is conveniently rectangular. These posts are connected at their upper ends by horizontal cross rails 3 thus forming a substantially rectangular rigid frame of a height somewhat greater than that of the tallest patient. The top of this frame may be open or closed as may be desired. Y

Near one side of the frame, and in the plane of suchy side if desired, or spaced therefrom as here shown, a pair of parallel spaced vertical guide members 4 and 5 are disposed with their upper ends engaging a cross rail 45. These guide members are secured at their lower ends to the basel and at their upper ends to the cross rails 3. These vertical guides 4 and 5 dene a predetermined fixed path along which a carriage 6 may be A moved.

The carriage 6 preferably comprises spaced horizontal members 7 and 8 having openings at their opposite ends for the reception of the guide bars 4 and 5 respectively. Preferably a chain or cord 11 attached at one end to the upper part of the carriage 6 passes up over a sprocket wheel or pulley 12 and has a counterbalance weight 16 secured to its other end. rlhis sprocket wheel or pulley 12 is fixed to a horizontal shaft 13 turning in bearings 14 and 15 carried by the guides 4 and 5.

The shaft 13 is provided at one end with a worm wheel 17 which meshes with a worm 18 of low pitch carried by a shaft 18a turning in a bearing 19 supported by a bracket 19a mounted on one of the posts 2. The shaft 18a is furnished with a hand wheel 2O conveniently located to permit the operator to turn the shaft 18L and thereby raise or lower the carriage tothe desired level. The carriage supports a motor 21, preferably an electric motor having a flexible conductor, not shown, leading toa suitable source of electrical energy. The carriage also supports a horizontal applicator shaft 22 mounted in suitable bearings in the front and rear members 22 and 23 respectively of the carriage and having its inner or forward end projecting forwardly from the front member 24 of the carriage. A suitable speed reducing gear train transmits movement from the motor shaft to the shaft 22.

The carriage 6 is preferably provided with a front guard plate 25 and a top guard plate 26 which conceal the carriage proper and shield the patient from contact with the motor and the gear train.

An applicator A. is detachably secured to lOl that end of shalt 2Q which projects 'forwardly oeyond the Le'uard i 'lhig applicator'. for etliectire use in tlesh reduction, should be ot that type which comprises a head carrying' a plurality of hard polished knobs which are adapted to produce deep indentations in the liesh ot the patient and rapidly to advance such indentations7 with the intervening Wrinkles or ridges, as the applicator head is rotated.

The speeihc arrangement shown in Fig. 3 employs a head consistingot a base plate or disk 2T tixedly secured to the shaft 22, and a cover plate ELSspaced trom the base 2l' by means et suitable spacer posts 2). The l 'se dn i 9T and the cover disk 28 are turnisiied with a plurality oi c axial openings preferably synin'ietrically arranged With reterence to the axis oil the head. Each opening' in the base il? is screw threaded tor the reception oi a threaded stud 3() projecting' -from the rear end ot a cylindrical sleeve member Si whose tor 'ard end projects through the corresponding opening; in the cover disk 28. The opening' in the latter disk larger than the opening in the base 2T and is adapted to receive a` second sleeve member 232 telescopinn over the sleeve 3l. Vlhe. sleeve member 3 is closed at its outer or forward end 3?, such end being smoothly rounded and preferably polished. rlhe rear or inner end ot the sleeve 32 is furnished with a radial tianere 3T or equivalent stop member elemei'it, adapted to engage the rear surface of the cover and thus to term a. stop to limit the' outward movement ot' the sleeve A coiled compression spring' is seated Within the sleeve 3l and bears against the inner surtace oir the head 33 of sleeve thus tending to torce the sleeve 32 'tor- Wardly into the position indicated in Fig. 3 but permittinsf' the sleeve to recede when subjected to sutlicient pressure. The sleeve 32 is preferably oit some ha fd rigid material such il'or example as nickel steel.

The upper members 35:3 ot the trame form convenient nieans :tor suspending curtains 3G or other suitable closure means adapted to enclose the space Within the vtramo and to ilorin a cabinet 'Within which a patient may stand While takingl the treatment.

ln the operation ot the device the patient stands upon the plattform l and adjusts the carriage br m ans ot the hand Wheel 2O until the applicator i is at the proper height to engage that portion ot the patients person which is to receive the treatment. Since the carriage counterbalanced. this adjustmentis easily made and by employing' the worin and n'heel adjustment or equivalent means the carriage is positively heid in an);` position to which it may be adjusted.

The motor is non started and the patient leans toward the applicator. thus pressing,` th'e body against the latter with as much pressure as may be desired. To obtain greater pressure the patient ma;v graspV the uprights ot' the trame, thus exerting the muscular Vtorte ot the arms to press nisbody against the applicator.

llhe rapid rotation ot' the applicator produc-ein as abore described, alternating' depressions and ridges in the tlesh which are rapidly advanced with reference to the surtace oi the body as the applicator rotates and this action, which is accompanied by Very substantial skin :Friction is found highly ellectire tor the desired purpose ot reducing excessive tlesh. By employing an applicator lia'viinghard polished knobs mounted to yield relatirelyto the head, all danger ot injury to the patient is avoided while a uniform and very effective action is secured.

Since the carriage with the applicator is adjustable to an)Y desired height the applicator may be applied to any part o'tl the patients body includingv both trunk and limbs and obviously applicators of different sizes and having knobs ot' diti'erent shapes may be attached to the shaft 22 in accordance with the needs of the patient and the part ot the body to be treated. Moreover, since the pressure oi the applicator against the patients body is' always controlled by the patient there is no danger of overtreatnient and injury to the patient.

Thilo l have illustrated a preferred embodiment or' the invention l Wish it to be understood that the invention is not necesi sarily limited to the details of construction herein disclosed but that equivalent elements may be substituted tor those herein described and that variations in shape, relative arrangement and proportions of parts and in the materials employed may be made as circumstances may Warrant Without Cleparting from the spirit ot the invent-ion.

l claimt l. lilassage apparatus comprising` a Vertical ;i'uide, a carriage sliding` along the guide, a Worm and wheel for adjusting the carriage along,` its `guide and for retaining it in adjusted position, a motor mounted on the carriage, a horizontal shaft journalled in the carriage and projecting from one side thereof` an applicator mounted upon the projecting end ot the shaft, and a train of speed reducing gears connecting' the motor to the shatt.

i2. Apparatus of the class described comprising` a trame having uprights connected at top and bottom to provide a rigid structure, a carriage mounted to slide in a predetermined path at one side oi the frame, means tor adiustingl the carriage along said path and tor positively holding' it in ad- `irsted position, a motor mounted on the carriage, an applicator shalt journalled in the carriage, a train otl gears transmitting motion' from the motor to the applicator shaft, adapted to sustain the pressure of the body the carriage having a shield at its inner side of a person positioned within the frame and concealing the motor and gear train, said pressing against the applicator. l0 shield having an aperture for the end of Signed by me at Boston, Massachusettsthe applicator shaft to project through, and this 30th day of July '1925.

an applicator mounted upon the projecting end of the shaft outside of said shield an CHARLES W. CHENEY.V 

